Basketball game

ABSTRACT

A basketball game including a stand bearing a backboard and a net, a basketball, and a catapult. The ball fits in a cup at one end of the catapult lever. The lever pivots on a pin so that when one end of the lever is depressed the other end of the lever bearing the cup is elevated imparting upward and outward motion to the ball. An adjustable stop arm regulates the upward motion of the cup and hence the angle and height of motion of the ball, and the upward and downward position of the stop arm is adjusted by moving the arm so that a hole in a downward extending portion of the adjustable stop arm is aligned with the desired one of a series of holes in an upward extending portion of the catapult base, enabling a pin to be inserted through the aligned holes for interlocking.

[111 3,724,855 1 Apr. 3, 1973 [54] BASKETBALL GAME [76] Inventor: KwangYup Chu, 14505 Cimarron Drive, Mesquite, Tex. 75149 221 Filed: Aug. 20,1971 21 Appl.No.: 173,568

[52] US. Cl ..273/l0l, 124/4 [51] Int. Cl. ..A63f 71/02 [58] Field ofSearch ..273/l0l, 95 R; 124/4, 5, 6, 124/7 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,421,220 5/1947 Robinson ..273/ 101 3,622,160 11/1971Barfield.... ..273/101 216,590 6/1879 Wright ..124/7 3,441,278 4/ 1969Edwards ..273/ 101 2,535,225 12/1950 Oczkowski .....273/l01 r 2,279,8574/1942 Bodnar .....l24/4 3,033,566 5/1962 Schmidt ..124I4 PrimaryExaminer-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin SiskindAtt0rneyArthur M. Sloan 57 ABSTRACT A basketball game including a standbearing a.

backboard and a net, a basketball, and a catapult. The ball fits in acup at one end of the catapult lever. The lever pivots on a pin so thatwhen one end of the lever is depressed the other end of the leverbearing the cup is elevated imparting upward and outward motion to theball. An adjustable stop arm regulates the upward motion of the cup andhence the angle and height of motion of the ball, and the upward anddownward position of the stop arm is adjusted by moving the arm so thata hole in a downward extending portion of the adjustable stop arm isaligned with the desired one of a series of holes in an upward extendingportion of the catapult base, enabling a pin to be inserted through thealigned holes for interlocking.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PMEmEmPRa 197s. 3,724,855

INVENTOR Kwong Yup Chu ATTORNEY BASKETBALL GAME This invention relatesto a novel simulated real basketball game. Although basketball gamesexist in the prior art as shown by a number of issued patents, none ofthese prior art games have proved satisfactory because of inadequatecatapults or projectors. The present invention utilizes a novel catapultor projector which overcomes the inadequacies of prior art devices thusproviding a simple, exciting, and engrossing game allowing theparticipant to acquire and demonstrate his skill and proficiency. Thegame of the subject invention is also a useful pacifier distracting theparticipants from their usual cares and anxieties and providing muchdesired relaxation from nervous tension.

The game includes a stand bearing a backboard and i a net, a basketballwhich may be a conventional table tennis or ping pong ball, and a novelcatapult or projector.

The ball is placed in a cup at one end of the catapult lever which leverpivots on a pin so that when a finger press or key at the other end ofthe catapult lever is depressed the cup is elevated to impart upward andoutward motion to the ball.

An adjustable stop arm or limiter which pivots on the catapult lever pinregulates the height to which the cup may be raisedand hence the angleand height of motion of the ball.

The position of the stop arm or limiter is adjusted by moving the arm tothe desired position while aligning a hole in a downward extendingportion of the limiter with one of a series of holes ,in an upwardextending portion of the catapult base, and a pin is inserted throughthe aligned holes to lock the limiter in position.

Accordingly it is an object of the subject invention to provide animproved basketball game.

Another object of the subject invention is to provide a basketball gamewith an improved catapult or projector.

Still another object of the subject invention is to provide a basketballgame with a catapult having means for adjusting the height and angle ofprojection of the ball.

Yet another' object of the subject invention is to provide an improvedbasketball game in which proficiency may be developed and skillexercised.

A further object of the subject invention is to provide an improvedbasketball game which may be utilized to effect enjoyment anddistraction from normal cares.

and anxieties.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the-accompanying drawings discloses a preferredembodiment thereof;

Referring to the drawings:.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the basketball game of which the goal ornet 4 is fixed. Screws 5 are shown for v anchoring the base 1 tosuitable means such as a playboard; however any suitable anchoring meansmay be used such as nuts and bolts, magnetic base, nails, or clamps. Thenet is normally of an appropriate diameter to accommodate a ball such asthe conventional ping pong or table tennis ball shown at 15.

The catapult or projector for activating the ball includes base 6 havingupwardly extending portion or projection 12. The lever 7 having the cupor groove 8 at one of its ends and the limiter or regulator 9 both pivoton the pin l0 which extends through and is supported by the projection12 near its upper extremity.

The projection 12 has holes 11 arranged along the pivotal arc of adownward extending portion of the limiter or regulator 9.

The extent of the upward motion of the cup 8 at one end of the lever 7is limited or regulated by the stop arm 14 of the limiter or regulator9.

As shown in FIG. 2, the position of the stop arm 14 is adjusted bypivoting the limiter or regulator 9 to the desired position whilealigning a hole in the downward extending portion of the limiter orregulator 9 with one of the holes 11 in the projection 12 and theninserting pin 13 through the aligned holes to effect an interlockingrelationship. I

To change the position of the stop arm 14 the pin 13 is removed and thehole in the downward extending portion of the limiter or regulator 9 isaligned with another one of the holes 11 in the projection 12, and thenthe pin 13 is reinserted to effect an interlocking relationship. j

The cup 8 of the lever 7 is raised to effect propulsion of the ball 15by placing a finger such as shown at 16 on the key 17 of the lever 7,which key is located at the end of the lever 7 opposite the cup 8, anddepressing the key 7. Q

The extent of depression of the key 7, the speed, and the force of thedepression along, with the position of the stop arm 14 determinesthe-angle, the height, and the speed of propulsion of the ball 15. Thepropulsion angle can be effectively changed by changing the .position ofthe stop arm 14.

In playing the game the catapult which is free moving takes the place ofthe basketball player. As the player, the catapult is free moving andcan be moved in any direction thus simulating a basketball player in areal basketball game. The catapult allows for varying. the shootingpower and distance form the goal 4. The push power in depressing key 17is very important because this controls the distance the ball 15 willtravel. Each time the distance of the catapult from the goal 4 ischanged the position of the limiter 9 should be adjusted to effect thecorrect geometrical running distance fo long shot, high shot, or shortshot.

Keep in mind that the catapult of the subject invention allows foradjustment of the angle and height of propulsion of the ball 15.

Suitable pins other than pin 13 may be utilized in the subjectinvention.

It is thought that this invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

What I Claim As my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. A basketball game comprising basketball goal means, a ball, andmovable actuator means for projecting the ball towards the basketballgoal means, said actuator means including limiter means for adjustablyregulating the angle and height of projection of the ball, in which theactuator means includes a pivotally mounted lever having a ballreceiving cup at one of its ends and a finger actuated key at its otherend so that on depression of the key the cup is elevated to project theball towards the goal and in which the limiter means includes a stop armand an approximately L-shaped pivotally mounted lever having onecomponent from which the stop arm protrudes at right angles and anothercomponent extending in a generally downward direction said stop armlimiting the upward movement of the ball receiving cup by acting againstthe portion of the pivotally mounted lever adjacent the ball receivingcup to prevent upward movement of that portion of the pivotally mountedlever and in which the generally downward extending component of thepivotally mounted limiter lever includes means for adjustably lockingthe downward extending component of the pivotally mounted limiter leverto the actuator means locking means includes structure defining a holein the downward extending component mounted limiter lever.

2. A basketball gameas described in claim 1 in which the actuator meansincludes a base having an upward projecting portion and a pivot pinextending through the upward extending portion of the base near itsupper extremity, the pivotally mounted ball cup bearing lever and thepivotally mounted limiter lever each being mounted on the pivot pin onopposite sides of the upward projecting portion of the actuator meansbase.

3. A basketball game as described in claim 2 including said hole beingnear the bottom extremity of the generally downward extending componentof the pivotally mounted limiter lever, structure defining a series ofholes in the upward extending portion of the base near its lowerextremity and along the pivotal arc of the downward extending componentof the pivotally mounted limiter lever, and a lock pin in which theposition of the limiter means is adjustable changed to regulate theangle and height of projection'of the ball by moving the stop arm to itsdesired position while lining up the hole in the generally downwardextending comp'onent of the pivotally mounted limiter lever with thedesired one of the series of holes in the upward extending portion ofthe base and then inserting the lock pin through the aligned holes tolock the stop arm in position.

of the pivotally

1. A basketball game comprising basketball goal means, a ball, andmovable actuator means for projecting the ball towards the basketballgoal means, said actuator means including limiter means for adjustablyregulating the angle and height of projection of the ball, in which theactuator means includes a pivotally mounted lever having a ballreceiving cup at one of its ends and a finger actuated key at its otherend so that on depression of the key the cup is elevated to project theball towards the goal and in which the limiter means includes a stop armand an approximately L-shaped pivotally mounted lever having onecomponent from which the stop arm protrudes at right angles and anothercomponent extending in a generally downward direction said stop armlimiting the upward movement of the ball receiving cup by acting againstthe portion of the pivotally mounted lever adjacent the ball receivingcup to prevent upward movement of that portion of the pivotally mountedlever and in which the generally downward extending component of thepivotally mounted limiter lever includes means for adjustably lockingthe downward extending component of the pivotally mounted limiter leverto the actuator means to provide for adjustably changing and fixing theposition of the limiter means to regulate the angle and height ofprojection of the ball and said adjustable locking means includesstructure defining a hole in the downward extending component of thepivotally mounted limiter lever.
 2. A basketball game as described inclaim 1 in which the actuator means includes a base having an upwardprojecting portion and a pivot pin extending through the upwardextending portion of the base near its upper extremity, the pivotallymounted ball cup bearing lever and the pivotally mounted limiter levereach being mounted on the pivot pin on opposite sides of the upwardprojecting portion of the actuator means base.
 3. A basketball game asdescribed in claim 2 including said hole being near the bottom extremityof the generally downward extending component of the pivotally mountedlimiter lever, structure defining a series of holes in the upwardextending portion of the base near its lower extremity and along thepivotal arc of the downward extending component of the pivotally mountedlimiter lever, and a lock pin in which the position of the limiter meansis adjustable changed to regulate the angle and height of projection ofthe ball by moving the stop arm to its desired position while lining upthe hole in the generally downward extending component of the pivotallymounted limiter lever with the desired one of the series of holes in theupward extending portion of the base and then inserting the lock pinthrough the aligned holes to lock the stop arm in position.